Flora of North America species comparison

1–few, erect or ascending, arachnoid-tomentose or ± glabrate;

branches 0–5+, usually in distal 1/2, ascending.

1–several, erect, thinly arachnoid to densely white-tomentose;

branches 0–few, ascending.

blades linear to oblong, oblanceolate, or elliptic, 5–25 × 0.6–7 cm, unlobed and merely spinulose or spiny-dentate to regularly pinnatifid, lobes 5–8(–many) pairs, well separated, usually with broad, U-shaped sinuses to crowded, linear to triangular-ovate, ascending-spreading to retrorse, merely spinulose to coarsely dentate or few lobed, main spines 2–7 mm, ± slender, abaxial faces gray to white, usually densely arachnoid-tomentose, sometimes ± glabrate, sometimes villous with septate trichomes along veins, adaxial green, glabrous or less commonly thinly to densely gray-tomentose;

basal often present at flowering, spiny winged-petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, gradually reduced distally, proximal usually winged-petiolate, mid and distal sessile, bases decurrent as spiny wings 1.5–3.5 cm;

distalmost reduced, ± bractlike.

blades oblong-elliptic, 10–30 × 3–12 cm, margins finely spiny-toothed and otherwise undivided to coarsely dentate, shallowly lobed, or deeply laciniate-pinnatifid, lobes broadly triangular to linear-lanceolate, main spines 1–6 mm, abaxial white-tomentose, adaxial faces ± green, thinly to densely arachnoid-tomentose;

basal often present at flowering, winged petiolate;

principal cauline well distributed, proximally winged-petiolate, distally sessile, gradually reduced, bases auriculate-clasping or short-decurrent as spiny wings;

distal cauline few, reduced to linear bracts.

0–15 cm.

0–15 cm.

ovoid to campanulate, 1.8–2.7 × 1–2 cm, thinly arachnoid-tomentose or glabrate.

ovoid to hemispheric, 1.5–2.3 × 1.5–3 cm, thinly arachnoid, ± glabrate.

pink to purple (creamy white), 18–25 mm, tubes 7–9 mm, throats 5.5–7.5 mm, lobes 4–8 mm;

style tips 3–5.5 mm.

dull white to lavender, 15–25 mm, tubes 7–11 mm, throats 5–7 mm, lobes 5–7 mm;

style tips 5–7 mm.

in 6–7 series, ± imbricate, green or with dark subapical patch or appendage, linear to linear-lanceolate, margins entire, abaxial faces with narrow glutinous ridge;

outer and middle bases appressed, apical appendages spreading to stiffly ascending, linear-lanceolate to acicular, entire, spines spreading or ascending, stout, 2–7 mm, often flattened;

apices of inner stiffly erect or sometimes flexuous, narrow, flat.

in 5–7 series, strongly imbricate, greenish with subapical darker central zone, lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge;

outer and middle bodies appressed, entire, apices entire or finely serrulate, spines ascending, slender, 1–3 mm;

apices of inner spreading to erect, narrow, ± flattened, finely serrulate, ± scabrous.

1–few, borne singly or in 2–3-headed clusters in ± congested flat-topped or racemiform arrays at tips of main stem and branches, sometimes also in distal axils.

borne singly and terminal on main stem and branches, or few in corymbiform arrays.

tan to dark brown, 5–6 mm, apical collars yellow, narrow;

pappi 14–16 mm.

brown, 3.5–7 mm, apical collars tan, 0.1–0.2 mm;

pappi white or tawny, 15–20 mm.

= 34.